Oblivion Staffs

[Yeknom]

I can't find ANYTHING about staves in the Oblivion Strategy Guide. I really want to use them. There are none listed under weapons, and I can't find a listing of enchanted items, unless I missed it somewhere. Where did you folks get the info that there are staves in the game? I would like to read up on it.

[Switch]

By the way, while staffs can only fire spell projectiles, and have no melee attacks, you CAN block with them. So a mage can go into battle using the staff to shoot fireballs at enemies and block melee attacks, and casting restores & buffs with his free hand. It's pretty nifty.

 

For example, in a previous developer diary, Steve Meister mentioned how players can now cast spells and swing weapons at any time, without switching from one mode to the other. This is worth mentioning again, as it’s a small improvement that gives large returns ­ fights are more visceral, casting spells is easier, and those who use both weapons and magic will be able to do so very fluidly.

 

“Yeah”, I hear you say, “that’s all well and good for Battlemages, but what about all of us pure magic users?” Take my advice ­ lose the sword and replace it with a staff enchanted with a ranged spell. These babies act just like rocket launchers; when used, the caster holds the staff out in front of him/herself and hurls a powerful projectile out of the business end. Best of all, just like normal weapons, you are able to use these enchanted staffs while casting regular spells with your free hand, an experience that you won’t want to miss. Combine all of this with the fact that Magicka now regenerates constantly (just like Fatigue, albeit more slowly) and mages can be pretty badass indeed.

 

Why the strategy guide wouldn't list them I have no idea, but the devs seem to think they're in.

[Yeknom]

Excellent! Just what I was hoping for! :D

[Sanderman]

I can't find ANYTHING about staves in the Oblivion Strategy Guide. I really want to use them. There are none listed under weapons, and I can't find a listing of enchanted items, unless I missed it somewhere. Where did you folks get the info that there are staves in the game? I would like to read up on it.

 

Here is what Todd Howard said about enchanting in the Elder Scrolls fan interview:

 

Logistically, we’ve changed how magic items work in two main ways ­ one, you don’t “cast” them like in Morrowind. They just “do” it. Anything you wear is constant effect, and affects you while you wear it. Weapons affect whatever target you hit with them. So you would never have a weapon that does something to you, the user. The other big change is that these items do not recharge on their own, you must do it. So you use soulgems to recharge items, or can get them recharged in town. You use soulgems in the game mainly as a way of recharging you items, as opposed to making them. You do find lots of filled soulgems now as treasure, and can also fill your own through soultrapping."

[loveme4whoiam]

Anything you wear is constant effect

So you use soulgems to recharge items, or can get them recharged in town.

 

So constant effect items are now "cast until the charge runs out?" Smart, I like the way they've done that. In Morrowind I always felt that constant effect items were either overpowered or ridiculously underwhelming, and as for other worn things like amulets have to be Cast On Use, that wsa just annoying. This is a good way of avoiding all that junk.

 

I like the thing about the staves too, although it is odd that they aren't in the strategy guide :blink:

[Cyborg16]

So constant effect items are now "cast until the charge runs out?"

 

Uh --- you read that differently to me. I thought it only meant that cast-on-stike weapons have to be recharged. I thought the whole point of constant effect items is that they don't have to be recharged (otherwise it would make more sense to have "cast-on-use" like in morrowind)? Well, we'll see in a few days (or today for people in the US I guess).

[loveme4whoiam]

Hmm, good point, I guess that's open to interpretation. Still, as you say, just a few short days to wait and find out :D

[Loud Abnoxious Sigh]

I think that staffs should have a different effect when you're enchanting it because their the wizard/mage tradmark!They should make staffs able to cast several different spells instead of just one.

I also thought that they should make a staff that you can cast youre own spells into and then discharge them through it instantanouesly.And that their would be different levels that effected how spells you could cast into it.

What are some of your ideas for a dream staff or other enchanted item?

 

Instantly + simultaneously = botched word. o_O

[Switch]

Hiya... erm, what should I call you? Loud? Abnoxious? Sigh? ^^; Anywho, please only post if it's relevant to the thread... while pointing out mis-spellings is all fine and good, it's probably best done by PM. ;) Thanks.

[Stormscape]

Well, I have discovered Wabbajack doesn't work right. I casted Wabbajack on a guard and nothing happened. Boohoo. Yes, Wabbajack is in Oblivion but as a stave. Why? I don't know. I always thought it wasn't a stave... Don't ask.